ATLANTA – The University System Board of Regents Thursday selected a top administrator at Georgia Washington University in the nation’s capital sole finalist for president of Georgia State University.
Subject to a final board vote, M. Brian Blake will succeed outgoing Georgia State President Mark Becker next month. Becker is leaving after a dozen years at the helm of what has become Georgia’s largest university.
Blake, a native Georgian, is now serving as president for academic affairs and provost at George Washington, a private university with an enrollment of 28,000 students. He also is a professor of computer science and electrical and computer engineering.
“Dr. M. Brian Blake’s experience as a leader in higher education makes him an outstanding candidate to lead one of the nation’s top universities for innovation in student success,” university system Chancellor Steve Wrigley said.
“Georgia State University has set a national standard for helping students of all backgrounds attain their degrees while achieving records through strong financial management and faculty research. Its next president should build on those successes.”
While overseeing 10 schools and colleges on three campuses at George Washington, Blake also spearheaded the university’s post-pandemic strategy, which offered an opportunity to assess innovative teaching methods and course offerings.
“Dr. Blake has the skills to lead USG’s largest institution while setting high expectations and supporting the needs and growth of students, faculty, staff and alumni,” said Sachin Shailendra, chairman of the Board of Regents. “He is an innovator who has held positions at some of the nation’s top institutions.”
Before coming to George Washington, Blake served as an administrator at Drexel University in Philadelphia and the University of Miami. He also was an associate dean at the University of Notre Dame.
Prior to his academic career, Blake worked as a software architect and developer with General Electric, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and the MITRE Corp.
Under Becker’s leadership, Georgia State set records for enrollment, graduation rate and total graduates. The university’s consolidation with Georgia Perimeter College in 2016 made it the state’s largest university and one of the largest in the nation with more than 54,000 students.
In other business Thursday, the Board of Regents confirmed T. Ramon Stuart as president of Clayton State University effective July 1. Stuart was named sole finalist for the post last week.